Repair part for footwear



Aug. 28, 1928. l,682707 w. A. OWEN REPAIR PART FOR FOOTWEAR Filed Jan.6. 1922 Tnnnlor.

14 17/1 0? a? awe Z or shoes.

pair part until the repair part is 3 an 1 r Patented true reta n cruisewarmer r ownn, or Anson, oiiro.

earnrirorri nnrarn 'rlin'r non roo rwneaf Application. filed January 6.1922.

My invention relates to footwear and. it particularly embraces a novelarticle for use in the manufactureand repair of boots and shoes.

Repair parts for boots tofore been termed of comple ely vulcanizedrubber composition, and semi-vulcanized parts have been proposed tor usein the manufacture of footwear. 1

In the repair of tootwearit is dithcult to effect a satisfactory unionbetween the re pair parts and the boot or shoe it the repair part iscompletely vulcanized. it well known to those engaged in the manufactureof rubber articles that an eitective union be and shoes have here- 1"con two completely vulcanized surfaces is diiiicult to obtain withoutthe use otelaborato and expensive equipment for applying; the

necessary degree of heat andpressure to the surtacesbeing1o1ned. X ltrsah well known that, it one oi the surfaces is oi' semi or unvulcanizedrubber composition, it is a comparatively simple operation to obtain alasting; and effective union between the parts.

My invention contemplates the manufacture ot a repair part tor boots andshoes. that embodies a completely vulcanized wea and adhesive rubbercomposition that is vulcanized to only a limited degree. My inventionfurthermore contemplates means for prote'ctingthe attaching sui'tace byaremoyable coating of material that remains on the reattached to theshoe.

\ llhe accompanying drawing; illustrates the application ofiny inventionto the mauutac-V ture of a sole and heel for the repair of boots Fin. 1ot the drawing; is a perspective view of a full sole of rubber or moldedcomposition that is constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view, partially in section and partially in perspective,talzen substantially on the line 2-2 oi 1, illustrating the compositeparts of my improved sole for re pairing footwear Fin. 3 is afragmentary sectionalview of a modified fOl'lTl Oii my invention.

lhe repair sole shown in Figs. and '2 ot the drawing, embodies a fullyvulcanized wearing portion 10, a semi or unvulcanized layer of rubbercomposition 11, and an inter posed layer oi cloth 12. The edges of therat-ely out. vulcanized state,

the effect of this heat is Serial No. 527,332.

wearing portion 10 of the sole terminate in a 4 oer. part thus formed isprotected by a covermg of Holland cloth 14: and 15,.that prevents theoxidation of the tacky and plastic surface of the uncured rubber gumfrom which the layer 11 and theinner surface of the strip 13 are formed.i y

The manufacture ofa repair part or this nature embraces certain novelsteps that have heretofore not been practiced. The composition oi?thelayer of rubber 11 and of the inner surface of the strip 13 is ofsuch nature that will. not become vulcanized to any apprecie able extentin the same time that the wearing portion 10 of the sole becomes fullycured. he unionbetween the layer of rubber 11 and the wearing portion ofthe sole is eii'ect-ed by the vulcanization of thetwo parts and themigratory action of the vulcanizing agent, such as sulfur, in passingfrom the adjacent layer 01. frictioned cloth 12 or rubber composition 10into the adjacent surface of the uncured layer rubber gum 11. It hasbeen found that a sufficient quantity oi? vulcanizinpj agent is thustransmitted to permanentlyand securely unite these surfaces Prior to thevulcanization of this repair part the attaching surfaces are completelyprotected by means of the layers of the Holland cloth 14: and 15. Thisprevents the action of either the air or steam on these surfaces,effectively preserves the adhesive and plastic qualities of suchsurfaces, and facilitates the handling of the finished repair parts.

it convenient method of assembling a re air-part otthis nature is tocalender layers 11, 12 and 1% together to thus provide a sheet ctmaterial embodying a layer 12 of fabricthat is trictioned on both sides,a layer 11 of rubber composition of the nature described. and aprotective layer of Holland cloth 14L. Suitable shapes are c t from thissheet of assembled material to provide the correspond ingelements of thesole shown in the drawing. The wearing portion 10 is formed from a sheetof the rubber While this material isin its run the various parts areassembled, as shown in the drawing, and the assembled unit is subjectedtoheat with or without pressure. As previously described,

to completely vulcanice the wearing portion 10 of the sole and tocomposition that is sepallU y The sole is then and,

eifectivel unite, through the migratory action of the vulcanizing agent,the layers 10, 11, 12 and 13 of the repair sole.

If it is desired to apply this repair sole to a boot or shoe, the layerof Holland cloth is stripped from the attaching surface of the adhesiveand plastic layer of rubber 11, and fromv the inner surface of the edgestrip 13. mounted on the boot or shoe, Which has previously been cleanedwith benzol or other suitable agents, in such manner as to insure anattached arts.

The su fur content of the boot or shoe is suflicient to establish avulcanized condition in the attaching surface of the repair part, eventhe minute particles of air that reach such surfaces, effectively unitethe repair part to the shoe. The vulcanization of the attaching surfaceis effected in this instance, as in the formerinstance, by the migratoryaction of the sulfur contained in the previously vulcanized portion ofthe shoe to which the repair part is attached and by oxidation.

Fig. 3 shows a modified form of my invention 111 which the intermediatelayer of fabric 12 is omitted from between the wearing por tion 10 andthe plastic portion 11 of the repair part. The major function in thelayer of fabric 12 is to maintain the shape of the sole altho it may beemployed as a vehicle for a vulcanizing compound that effectively unitesthe component part of the sole.

Each edge strip 16 of the sole shown in Fig. 3 embodies a longitudinalfold 17 that serves to more closely unite the strip of material with theupper of the shoe, and to completely fill all spaces between the shoeand the repair part. The attaching surfaces of the sole shown in Fig. 3,are also protected by a coating of material, such as Holland cloth, thatis removed only upon application of the part.

Although I have described alimited numer of modifications of myinvention, I desire that only such limitations shall be imposed as areset forth in the accompanying claims.

intimate union between the r What I claim is:

1. A molded article of manufacture comprising a layer of completelyvulcanized rubber composition, a layer of relatively unvulcanized rubbercomposition having an attaching surface, an intermediate layer of fabricvulcanized to said layers of rubber composition, and a removableprotective covering ad hesively secured to the attaching surface of saidunvulcanized layer of rubber composition.

2. A repair sole for footwear comprising a layer of completelyvulcanized wear-resisting material, a layer of substantiallyunvulcanized plastic and adhesive rubber composition, an intermediatelayer of fabric, edge portions of unvulcanized material, and aprotective coating for the inner surfaces of said layer of unvulcanizedmaterial and of said edge portions, said protective coverings beingremovable npon the application of the repair sole.

3. The process of. manufacturing shoe soles whichcomprises disposing alayer of fabric between two layers of rubber compound of relativelydifferent vulcanizing characteristics. and completely vulcanizing onlyone of said layers.

41.. The process of manufacturing shoe soles which comprises disposing alayer of fabric between two layers of rubber compound of relativelydifferent vulcanizing characteris tics, completely vulcanizing only oneof said layers, and partially vulcanizing the second layer.

5. The process of manufacturing shoe soles which comprises assembling alayer of frictioned fabric between and in engagement with two layers ofrubber compound of different curing characteristics, and applying heatto cure one of said compounds and efl'ect a union between the variouslayers by the migratory action of a vulcanizing agent through thefrictioned fabric.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

WILLIAM A. OWEN.

